Belt end swaging machine



Nov. 17, 1942. u R, H, REECE ETAL 2,30279 BELT END swAGING MACHINE Filed Nov. l5, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 17, 1942.A R. H. REEcE ETAL BELT END SWAGING MACHINE Filed Nov. l5, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 lave/zione,- I Z l l u l I Il?! 1i -m/.J f

. .4 ar ffl/J.

Nov. 17, 1942. R. H. REECE am;

BELT END SWAGING MACHINE Filed Nov. 15, 1940 4sheets-sheet s f 1 13 Z7 l 136134 9131120 1.92v 133 135 Z5] [IZ uen/fors;

y my

Patented Nov. 1.7, i942 2,202,279l BELT END sWAGlNG MACHINE RobertH. Reece, Holliston, and Alfred Gilbert, South Acton, Mass., assignors to Reece Folding Machine Company, East Cambridge, Mass., a

corporation of Maine Application November 15, 1940,'ser`i'a1No. 365.782

6 Claims.

This invention relates to the preparation of belts or straps of heavy canvas, leather or the like, especially of the military type, for receiving and securing thereto a ring or buckle or the like.

The invention contemplates the provision of a machine for shaping the end of a strap or belt of heavy canvas or the like to substantially tubular form and to prepare it for the subsequent operation of attaching a ring or buckle so as to provide a, good bearing therebetween. In this subsequent operation, the tubular portion of the strap is inserted in the ring and the end po-rtion of the tube is attened and folded upon the main body of the strap and secured thereto as by stitching. Thus, a tubular portion ofthe strap engages the ring and provides a good bearing for the latter having great strength and good appearance.

The ring or buckle usually has an inner diameter less than the width of the strap. But even if the width of the strap is less, a good bearing is not 'provided and any load placed upon the strap is transmitted between the strap and ring principally through the edge portions of the strap. It has been attempted to overcome this diiiiculty by forming'the strap with a tapered end portion, but this only partly Aovercomes the difficulty and the connection between the strap and ring is relatively Weak. Furthermore, the cost of production of straps or belts formed with a tapered end portion is considerably greater than those of substantially uniform width. The machine of the invention performs the shaping operation at suchk a rapid rate that the cost is very low and the end of the strapretains its tubular -shape permanently unless intentionally disturbed;

The invention will be more clearly understood from` the followingdescription in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:A

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a machine embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a front sectional elevational View taken substantially upon the line 2-'2 ofFig. 4;

Figs. 3 and 4 are side sectional elevational views taken upon the lines. 3--3v and 4--4 of Fig.2;

Fig. 5 is a detail plan View of a: portion of the machine;

Figs. 6 and 'l are fragmentarysectional front elevational views similar to Fig. 2 showing the parts'in different positionsg.

Fig'. 8 Vis a perspective view showing the end i of a strip 'of sheet material; such as heavy canvas, folded by the machine in the invention; n

Fig. 9 is a perspectiveview showing the end of.v the Istriplooped'with a ring" inserted in the 100135 Fig. 10 is a plan view of a machine of modiied construction; y y

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary sectional elevational View taken substantially along the line II-I I of Fig. 10; y l g Fig. 12 is a fragmentary side sectional elevational view of the modified machine; and

Fig. 13 is an enlarged fragmentary iront sectional elevational view of the modified machine.

Before explaining in detail the present invention, it is to be understood that the invention is lnot limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other rembodiments and of being practiced or'carricd out in various Ways. Also it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation, and it is not intended to limit the invention claimed herein beyond the requirements of the priorV art.

The machine illustrated in the accompanying drawings kcomprises a main frame I!) having a mainl drive shaft I I (Figs. 2 and .4) mounted for rotationin bearings I2 and, I3 provided in the rear/and front portions ofthe..frame. A set of integral pulleys I4 are rotatably' mounted upon the ,shaft II and are rotated continuously from anysuitable source Yof power as by a belt I5. A worm I6 is formed on the shaft II and engages a Worm wheel I'l fixed upon a shaft I8 (Figs. 2, 3 and 4) which is mounted for rotation in bearings I9 at OPPQSite sides of the frame I0. A clutch `C (Fig. 5) of any conventional typey is provided for connecting the set of pulleys I4 in driving relation with the ,shaft Il. The clutch C is actuated to move ,it between its engaged and disengaged positions by a rod 2E) slidably mounted in suitable bearings formed in the frame Ill. If desired, a brake B may be provided and arranged to stop rotation of the shaft il when the clutch is moved to its disengaged position. p v

A plate 25, serving as a work support, rests upon the top of the frame i and is secured near its rear edges to the frame by screws 2t (Fig. 1). A'iiange 2l is formed upon each of the side edges of the plate 25 near its front edge and each is adapted to be engaged by a clip 28 securedrto `the frame I by screws 29. The plate 25 is provided with a chamber 3l to which steam is supplied from a main supply pipe 3|` through branch pipes 32 and 33 entering the bottom of the chamber near the rear thereof. Exhaust pipes 34 and plate to near the rear thereof.

35 are connected to the chamber 3near the front of theplate 25 for the exhaust of steam. The plate 25 isprovided with va web 3l projecting into the chamber V3l) fromthe front ofthe The webv'l is provided with a longitudinally extending pas-i;

sage 38 which is connected by a passage 39 to one end of a pipe 40, the other end of which is connected to the steam supply pipe 3|. A plurality of small holes 4| extend from the top of the plate 25 to the passage 88 and provide steam spray nozzles.

A plate 45 (Figs. 1 and 4.) and a housing 45 are secured to the rear edge of the plate 25 by screws 41 and provide a vertical guideway 48 for a slide 453. One end of a rod 50 is secured to the slide 49 near its upper end. The other end of the rod 50 is provided with a portion of reduced cross section forming a mandrel 5i positioned directly a-bove the holes 4|. The shoulder 52 on the rod 50 at the rear end of the mandrel 5| serves as a stop for the work piece when positioned in the mechine as hereinafter described. The rod 50 normally is held in engagement with the top surface of the plate 25 by a spring 53 connecting a pin 50 fixed to the slide 09 anda pin 55 xed to the housing 46. The mandrel 5| normally is spaced from the top surface of the plate 25 a distance corresponding to the minimum thickness of the work piece to be shaped. The yieldable mounting of the mandrel permits thicker work pieces to be inserted. A pair of spaced guides 55 (Fig. 1) are positioned upon the top surface of the plate 25 adjacent the forward end of the mandrel 5|. The guides 58 are each carried by a plate 51 which is secured to the plate 25 by a screw 58 passing through a slot 59 in the plate 51 and engaging the plate 25.

A pair of plates 65 and 65 (Figs. 1, 2 and 3), which serve as pressure members, normally rest upon the top surface of the plate 25 so as to eX- tend laterally beyond the side edges thereof. These plates are movable toward and away from the mandrel 5| by mechanism described hereinafter. The inner edges of the plates 85 and 55 are each provided with a substantially cylindrical concave surface The remaining portions of the adjacent edges of the plates 65 and 55 are ared away as indicated at |02 so as to provide ample clearance with the rod 50. The outer edges of the plates E and 85 are formed with slots 61 and 61', respectively. Spaced bearings are secured to the plate 55 adjacent opposite edgs of the slot 61 by screws 1| passing through a slot 12 and engaging a nut 13 positioned in a l groove 14 in the bottom surface of the plate S5. A stud shaft 15 extends between the bearings 10 and is fixed thereto by pins 15. A lever 11 is pivotally connected at one end to the shaft 15 and carries at its other end a roll or cam follower 18 adapted to engage the peripheral groove 15 in a cam 00 fixed upon the shaft E8. The lever 11 is provided with a hub 0| intermediate its ends which rotatably engages a shaft 82 carried by a U-shaped bracket 83 secured to the edge of the plate by screws 84.

The plate 55 also is provided with a slot 85. A block 85 is secured by screws 81 to the top surface of the plate 25 and projects upwardly through the slot 85. Spaced bearings 88 are secured to the plate 55 adjacent opposite edges of the slot 85 by screws 83 passing through a slot 90 and engaging a nut 9| positioned in a groove 02 in the bottom surface of the plate 55. A stud shaft 93 extends between the spaced bearings 83 and is secured to each by a pin 94. The stud shaft 33 passes through an elongated slot 05 formed in the block 05 and carries a roll 35 adapted to engage the Vcam surface formed upon thelower edge of the slot 95 and comprising 75 spaced cam surfaces 91 and 98 separated by a small sharply raised cam surface 99.

Spaced bearings 10 are secured to the plate 35 adjacent opposite edges of the slot 01 by screws 1| passing through a slet 12 and engaging a nut 13 positioned in a groove 14 in the bottom surface of the plate A stud shaft 15 extends between the bearings 10 and is fixed thereto by pins 16'. A lever 11l is pivotally connected at one end to the shaft 15' and carries at its other end a roll or cam follower 18 adapted to engage the peripheral groove 19 in a cam fixed upon the shaft I8. The lever 11' is provided with a hub 8|' intermediate its ends which rotatably engages a shaft 82 carried by a U-shaped bracket 83 secured to the edge of the plate 25 by screws 84.

The plate 65 also is provided with a slot 85'.

A block 86 is secured by screws 81 to the top surface of the plate 25 and projects upwardly through the slot Spaced bearings 8S are secured to the plate 65' adjacent opposite edges cf the slot 85 by screws 89 passing through a slot 30 and engaging a nut 3|' positioned in a groove 32' in the bottom surface of the plate 65. A stud shaft 03 extends between the spaced bearings 88 and is secured to each by a pin 04. The stud shaft 93 passes through an elongated slot 95 formed in the block 86' and carries a roll 33 adapted to engage the cam surface formed upon the lower edge of the slot 95 and comprising spaced cam surfaces 91' and 98 separated by a small sharply raised cam surface 99.

A valve |05 (Figs. 2 and 3) is interposed in the pipe 40 and is normally closed by a valve member having a valve stem |06 projecting outside of the valve casing. A coil spring |03 surrounding the valve stem |06 and interposed between the valve casing and a collar |04 on the valve stem normally maintains the valve closed. A cam ||2 having a high portion |00 is fixed upon the shaft I8, A bracket |01 is secured to the casing of the valve |05. A lever |08 is pivotally connected intermediate its ends in a bearing |03 at the free end of the bracket |01 so that one arm ||0 of the lever engages the end of the valve stern |05 and the other arm of the lever engages the cam ||2. A U-shaped bracket ||3, which is secured to the frame I0, embraces the arm and serves as a guide preventing lateral displacement of the arm from the cam H2.

To start the machine, the rod 20 is pushed from the dotted line position shown in Figs. 4 and 5 to the full line position to engage the clutch C. This causes rotation of the shaft I8 carrying the grooved cams 80 and 80. Steam is supplied from the main supply pipe 3| through the pipes 32 and 33 to the chamber 30 and discharges through the pipes 34 and 35. Thus, the plate 25 is maintained hot and radiates heat to the presser members or plates 65 and 65' to maintain the latter hot. A work piece W, which may be in the form of a strip of heavy canvas, such'as is used in making heavy canvas belts, is inserted endwise between the guides 56 and between the mandrel 5| and the top surface of the plate 25 until the work piece abuts the shoulder 52.

As the shaft |8 rotates, the high portion |00 of the cam |2 swings the arm of the lever |08 causing the other arm ||0 of the lever to move the valve stem I 06 and open the valve |05. As the high portion |00 of the cam moves out of engagement with the arm the spring |03 closes the valve. This permits steam to pass fromrthe pipe 4B into the passage 33 and thence through the nozzle openings 6| and strike against the work W in the form of a spray momentarily to soften the work to facilitate its shaping about the mandrel 5|. At the same time, the cams 8B and' cause the levers 'll and 'Vl' to swing and move the plates'l and 65 first toward and then away from one another. As the plates move toward the mandrel 5| the lower edges of the concave surfaces I at the inner edges of the plates 65 and 65' are fed under the edges of the work W as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 7. TheA rolls 9S and 96' then engage the cam surfaces 99 and 99 respectively and cause the inner edges of the plates 65 and @5' to be raised to the dot and dash line positions shown in Fig. '7. `In thus being raised the edges of the plates 55 and 65 carry the edges of the work W to the dot and dash line position shown in Fig. 7. Upon further inward movement of the plates 65 and 65', the rolls 96 and 96' move from the cam surfaces 99 and 99 to the cam surfaces 9S and 93 thus causing the plates 65 and 65' to be lowered into engagement Withthe top surface of the plate 25. As the plates 55 and 65 continue their movement toward the mandrel the work W is folded around and pressed against the mandrel 5| as shown in full lines in Fig. '7 and the heat from the plates 65 and 85 sets the shaped work. The plates then are returned to their initial position and the operator of the machine manually pulls the work W off the mandrel. This operation of the machine shapes the end portion of the work to the substantially tubular form T as shown in Fig. 8. The operator then inserts another Work piece in the machine as previously described and the machine again performs its cycle of operations as above described. Preferably, the machine is arranged to perform about fifteen complete cycles per minute.

The Work pieces thus shaped upon the machine of the invention are then ready for a subsequent operation. Thus the tubular portion 'I' of the work, Fig. 8, is inserted in a ring R., and the end of the tubular portion T is opened and flattened as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 8 and then is folded upon the main body of the strip and secured by lines of stitching S as shown in Fig. 9.

The machine of modiied construction illustrated in Figs. 10 to 13, inclusive, is in large measure identical in construction with that previously described. In the modified construction the yieldable mounting for the mandrel is different, although its principle of functioning is the same. The means for guiding the sheet material as it lis inserted in the machine to position it for shaping is modified so as to cause the opposite edges of the sheet material to be turned in the direction of the mandrel partially shaped therearound. This cha-nge makes desirable a modification of the means for guiding the movement of the presser members toward the mandrel. In other respects the modified machine is identical to that previously described.

In the modified construction, a slide |29 is mounted, for movement vertically in spaced guides |2| and |22 nxed upon the rear wall of the frame. One end of a rod l is secured to the slide', |29 near its upper end. The other end of the rod |23 is provided with a portion of reduced cross section forming a mandrel |24 located in a position corresponding to the position of the mandrel l of the previously described construction. The shoulder |25 on the rod |23 at the earend of the mandrel |2 serves as a 'stop for the work piece When positioned in the machine. The mandrel |26 normally is held in a position spaced slightly above the top surface of the frame by a stop |26 fixed upon the slide |20 and er1- gaging the bottom of the guide l2 The mandrel |24 is normally held in such a position by a spring |21 secured at one end to the frame of thegmachine and at its other end to a pin |28 xed upon the slide |26.

A pair of vspaced guides |353 are positioned upon the plate 25I adjacent the forward end of the mandrel and are adjustably secured to the plate in a manner similar to the guides 56 of the machine previously described. The guides |30 are so shaped and arranged as to Vturn the opposite edges of the sheet material W upwardly in the direction of the mandrel as the work is inserted in the machine and moved toward the shoulder |25.

Presser members |31 and |32, which correspond` to the presser members 65 and 65 of the previously described construction, may be mounted t0 slide upon the top surface of the plate 25. A separate guide plate |33 is mounted in spaced relation to the top surface of the plate E5 and in approximate engagement with the top surface of each of the presser members |3| and |32. The guide plates |33 are supported upon spacer members |34 resting upon the top surface of the plate 25 and projecting upwardly into an elongated slot |35 formed in each of the: presser members I 3| and |32. The guide plates |33 are securedin position by screws |33 passing through the spacer members |34 and en-` gaging the frame of the machine. It Will be noted that the mandrel normally is positioned slightly above and approximately in line with the.

path of movement of the presser members |3| and |32 to permit easy insertion of the work beneath the mandrel.

As the work W is positioned in the machine:

by inserting it between the guides |39 and beneath the mandrel |24, the opposite edges of the. work areturned upward as illustrated in Fig. 10.. As the presser members ESI and |32 are moved toward the mandrel they slide along the top surface of the frame and engage the partially shaped work W as illustrated in Fig. 13. Upon further movement of the presser members |3| and |32 toward the mandrel E24, the work is pressed against the mandrel and this pressure centers the mandrel by moving it from its full line position to its dotted line position shown in Fig. 13. Finally, the Work is pressed around the mandrel as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 13.

If desired, the springs 53 or l2`| may be eliminated and the mandrels Eil or lfl may be mounted so as to be raised by the action of a cam and lowered by gravity as controlled by such cam, the cam being secured upon the driven shaft |8 so as to operate in proper timed relation to the other moving parts. In such case, the effective weight of the mandrel should be dependent upon the character of the work, being greater for heavy Weight and stiff work than for light Weight andieasily foldable material.

We claim:

l.'v In an apparatus for shaping the end portion or" a flat strip of sheet material to tubular form with the axis of the tube equidistant from the edges or" the strip, a support, a pair of presser members movable toward and away from one another, spaced guide members on said support fory positioning the end portion of said strip with the center line in a predetermined position thereon, a mandrel, means for supporting said mandrel between said presser members for movement; toward and away from said support while maintaining its axis parallel thereto and in a plane equidistant from said guide members and perpendicular to said support whereby said end portion of said strip may be positioned between said support and mandrel with its center line lying in said plane by insertion between said guide members, and means for moving said presser members.

2. In an apparatus for shaping the end portion of a iat strip of sheet material to tubular form with the axis of the tube equidistant from the edges of the strip, a support, a pair of presser members movable toward and away from one another, spaced guide members on said support for positioning the end portion of said stripwith the center line in a predetermined position thereon, a mandrel, means for supporting said mandrel between said presser members for movement toward and away from said support while maintaining its axis parallel thereto and in a plane equidistant from said guide members and perpendicular to said support whereby said end portion of said strip may be positionedbetween said support and mandrel with its center line lying in said plane by insertion between said guide members, a stop adapted to be engaged by the end of said strip when the latter is inserted between said support and mandrel, and means for moving said presser members.

y3. In an apparatus for shaping the end portion of a flat strip of sheet material to tubular form with the axis of the tube equidistant from the edges of the strip, a support, a pair of presser members movable toward and away from one another, spaced guide members on said support for positioning the end portion of said strip with the center line in a predetermined position thereon, a mandrel, means for moving said presser members, and means for supporting said mandrel between said presser members for movement toward and away from said support while maintaining its axis parallel thereto and in a plane equidistant from said guide members and perpendicular to said support whereby said end portion of said strip may be positioned between said support and mandrel with its center line lying in said plane by insertion between said guide members, said guide members having means for inturning the longitudinal edges of said end portion while maintaining its center line in said predetermined position.

Ll. Irl an apparatus for shaping the end portion of a iiat strip of sheet material to tubular :form with the axis of the tube equidistant from the edges of the strip, a support, a pair of presser members movabie toward and away from one another, spaced guide members on said support for positioning the end portion of said strip with the center line in a predetermined position thereon, a mandrel, means for supporting said mandrel between said presser members for movement toward and away from said support while maintaining its axis parallel thereto and in a plane equidistant from said guide members and perpendioular to said support whereby said end portion of said strip may be positioned between said support and mandrel with its center line lying in said plane by insertion between said guide members, means for heating said presser members, means for spraying said strip with a normally liquid substance, and means operable in timed relation to render said spraying means operative and then inoperative and move said presser members to engage and shape said end portion around said mandrel and at a predetermined time thereafter move said presser members away from the mandrel.

5. In an apparatus for shaping the end portion of a at strip of sheet material to tubular form with the axis of the tube equidistant from the edges of the strip, a support, a pair of presser members movable toward and away from one another, spaced guide members on said support for positioning the end portion of said strip with the center line in a predetermined position thereon, a mandrel, means for supporting said mandrel between said presser members for movement toward and away from said support While maintaining its axis parallel thereto andin a plane equidistant from said guide members and perpendicular to said support whereby said end portion of said strip may be positioned between said support and mandrel with its center line lying in said plane by insertion between said guide members, said guide members having means for inturning the longitudinal edges of said end portion while maintaining its center line in said predetermined position, means for heating said presser members, means for spraying said strip with a normally liquid substance, and means operable in timed relation to render said spraying means operative and then inoperative and move said presser members to engage and shape said end portion around said mandrel and at a predetermined time thereafter move said presser members away from the mandrel.

6. In an apparatus for shaping the end portion of a ilat st rip of sheet material to tubular form with the axis of the tube equidistant from the edges of the strip, a support, a pair of presser members movable toward and away from one another, spaced guide members on said support for positioning the end portion of said strip with the center line in a predetermined position thereon, a mandrel, means for supporting said mandrel between said presser members for movement toward and away from said support while maintaining its axis parallel thereto and in a plane equidistant from said guide members and perpendicular to said support whereby said end portion of said strip may be positioned between said support and mandrel with its center line lying in said plane by insertion between said guide members, means for heating said presser members, means for spraying said end portion when so lpositioned with a normally liquid substance,

means for moving said presser members, and means operable as said presser members are moved toward one another to cause the presser members to swing and move the adjacent edges thereof out of their normal path of movement toward the mandrel to turn the opposite edges of said end portion partially around the mandrel and then return to their normal path of movement to press said end portion around the mandrel.

ROBERT H. REECE.

ALFRED G. GILBERT. 

